From October 6-9, the Jacob J. Javitz Convention Center hosted its annual New York Comic Con, a convention that celebrates all aspects of popular culture. This convention celebrates a plethora of fields from comics to anime, video games, television, art, and film. Since the first New York Comic Con in February 2006, attendance has skyrocketed, with over 160,000 people having attended last year's NYCC in the fall.
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This year, I had the distinct pleasure of attending NYCC for my fourth consecutive year. Between Friday to Sunday, not only did I immerse myself in a world of pop culture, I was able to understand why conventions like these matter. New York is not the only state to have a Comic Con. Other famous Cons include Salt Lake Comic Con, Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle, and the most of all - San Diego Comic Con. In each of these conventions, panels are hosted on various topics (i.e. movie previews with the cast, panels for television shows, competitions). In addition, people cosplay (costume-play), examine artworks, and purchase exclusive items - all while trying to snag any free giveaways (THERE ARE MANY!).
The Jacob J. Javitz Center
With this visit, I took the time to ask attendees and exhibitors on their take on the following questions: 1) What do they like best about New York Comic Con; 2) Why is cosplaying so popular?; and 3) Is the hype worth the money. Though answers are subjective, I wanted to get a general idea on how people felt about New York Comic Con.
First, people claimed that New York Comic Con was a fun celebration of pop culture. Attendees and exhibitors alike both loved the warm, positive, and welcoming atmosphere. The variance of activities provides not only a family-friendly space, but welcomes people of all ages - not just fans of comic books. For one weekend, people are able to find an escape from everyday reality and immerse themselves in an experience that celebrates their interests. Having attended myself for several years, I believe that the convention is an exciting experience - being able to discover exciting works while having a hands on experience in areas such as gaming and green-screen pictures.
The cosplaying culture is very - interesting, for lack of a better phrase. I say that because I had originally viewed costume wearing as something mainly meant for Halloween. Hundreds of people love to dress up as different characters from novels to video games to television/movies While roaming around the convention center, I saw many attendees dressed up as famous characters such as The Joker, Harley Quinn, Captain America, Spider-Man, Deadpool, and Goku. The appeal of cosplay is subjective, but it is another way to celebrate a certain work. This pretending of another character - just like Halloween - allows people to become just like the character they are trying to represent. Not only is it fun; it is an honor to the artists who were responsible for the creation of the character(s). New York Comic welcomed cosplays of all kinds and even holds a Cosplay Content. Last year featured a special cosplay, for one man dressed up in a life-sized version of the Hulk-Buster armor that was seen in the film Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Cosplayers representing The Fantastic 4 and The Hulk
Is Comic Con really worth the money? Well, after speaking people I know who regularly attend, former attendees, and recent attendees, the answer is both yes and no. For some, they feel that the cost of the ticket and charges from booths for merchandise are fair for the experience that they will receive. There are not many conventions around that they can attend that allow cosplay, demo video-games, and host panels. For some of those reasons alone, people are content with the price they paid. For the majority of those I spoke to, Comic Con is an exciting experience but could be more cheaper. Being in New York City, it is common knowledge that food and beverages will be sold at higher prices. Scalpers try to sell tickets at exorbitant prices. Flippers will buy exclusive items/toys and sell them for double/triple the price on online markets such as eBay. At the same time, celebrities that come to Comic Con charge an excessive amount just for photographs and pictures separately, though some donate the proceeds to charity. For example, Stan Lee charges $100 for pictures and $100 for autographs, letting the attendee spend over $200 alone on one person if they happen to go for both options. I agree with the majority that Comic Con should be more affordable, even though it is a growing multi-million dollar event.
For the most part, my experience at New York Comic Con 2016 was worthwhile. While attending panels, getting autographs, and testing games, I was able to understand more about the culture of Comic Con and what it means to people. I look forward to attending next year's convention, and with luck and enough savings, I hope to attend San Diego Comic Con as well. It's a long shot, but a man can dream, right?
